


Tempest and Tranquility

by experimentallyjs589 (jacksparrow589)



Series: Time and Tide [1]
Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Basically everyone gets mentioned at some point, F/M, Gen, Modern Era, Shirbert, is this how kids these days talk, like heart to heart talks, nothing and everything good happens at parties
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:00:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22152910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jacksparrow589/pseuds/experimentallyjs589
Summary: Modern AU. For Anne's 21st birthday, the Avonlea gang gather at Diana's apartment while they attend U of T. Anne reflects on her life leading up to the party, and resolves to set things right this year.Rated T for a bit of language and some vague references.
Relationships: Anne Shirley & Everyone, Diana Barry & Anne Shirley, Gilbert Blythe & Anne Shirley, Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley, Gilbert Blythe/Winifred Rose, Ruby Gillis & Anne Shirley, Ruby Gillis/Moody Spurgeon McPherson
Series: Time and Tide [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1598953
Comments: 35
Kudos: 255





	Tempest and Tranquility

**Author's Note:**

> The Modern AU nobody wanted from me, but that popped into my head pretty fully formed, so here you go. I'm terrible at AUs (thus using this pseud), but eh, I tried.
> 
> I know precisely nothing about the locations of buildings in Toronto, so I was incredibly vague and just kind of went for a big-city vibe.
> 
> I wrote a lot of this while listening to (in no particular order): "Human" by The Killers, "Love Me Less" by MAX, "Kiss and Make Up" by Dua Lipa and BlackPink, "Jealous" by Nick Jonas, and "I2I" by Tevin Campbell (yes, from "A Goofy Movie". No, I am not sorry because, let's be honest, it's a very Shirbert song.)

_**present** _

"Happy birthday, Anne!"

Diana hugged her roommate and best friend around the waist.

"Morning, Di." Anne hugged her back.

"Did you find your—" Diana asked.

Anne indicated the shotglass, mug, and scarf, all inscribed with _Jane Eyre_ and _Pride & Prejudice_ quotes. "Thank you, Diana. They're perfect."

"Almost eight years of knowing you; I should hope I do!" Diana chirped. "Now, drink that coffee down. We've gotta go get food and booze for tonight!"

Anne laughed. "Alright, alright, I'll be ready to go in thirty."

"So, an hour," Diana teased.

"We have a whole wonderful day, Diana!" Anne chuckled. "And anyway, I'd love to hit Costco at lunch; get some pizza in me."

"Fine, fine, we'll leave in a couple hours." Diana squeezed Anne's arm. "I'm really glad to know you, you know that?"

Anne covered her hand and squeezed it. "And I'm the luckiest girl to know you."

* * *

_**seven and a half years ago** _

Anne looked around the town playfield. Kids were doing all sorts of sports and games. Marilla and Matthew had been sure she'd make friends at the community day, though they had to admit that they didn't really know the children terribly well, having only really observed them at community events where the adults stayed close.

She meandered among them, looking to see if there was an activity she wanted to join.

"Ugh, who let the ginger in?" a boy a little older than Anne sneered. "What's the matter? Sucked out all the souls of the last place you lived and now you need more victims?"

A blond girl laughed, while a light brown haired girl rolled her eyes. "Yeah, really funny, Billy."

The boy moved to block Anne's path. "Bet you've got a temper on you. And you're the Cuthberts' foster, right? Yeah, you're a lot of trouble, aren't you?" He advanced on Anne.

Anne staggered backward. A gentle hand took her arm. "Hey Billy, can you maybe not?"

"And what are you gonna do about it if I do, huh, Diana?" Billy goaded.

The dark-haired girl holding Anne's arm—Diana, it seemed—glared at Billy. "Come on, you can hang out with me." She tugged Anne's arm, but Billy followed.

"Hey Billy!" a different voice called. Anne turned to look. The boy who was speaking now was a little older than Billy, tall and dark-haired. "Do us all a favor and stop harassing the new girl so she doesn't think we're all assholes like you?"

Billy fell back into line.

"Thanks… Diana?" Anne asked.

Diana grinned. "Yep, that's right! And you are…?"

"Anne. Anne Shirley. Anne-with-an-E," Anne fired off. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

Diana giggled. "Sorry. You just sound like you're out of one of those old books we have to read for school. It's nice."

Anne smiled, a little bashful. "Yeah, my reading tastes are pretty precisely those kinds of books. They're… easy to get lost in."

"I get that." Diana turned to make sure nobody was listening. "We're lucky Gilbert Blythe stepped in. He's one of the nicest boys—two years ahead of us, so he's in high school. Unfortunately, I think Ruby Gillis—the blond girl over there—" she pointed out a different blond girl than the one who'd laughed at Anne "—might be a little upset with you. She's had a crush on him since forever. It's kind of exhausting when she gets worked up about it, but she's a really sweet girl. I'm sure once she gets past it, you'll be good friends."

Anne almost felt weepy. "Thank you, Diana. I'm sure you and I will be great friends, too."

Diana squeezed her arm. "Me, too."

* * *

_**present** _

Anne savored her slice of cheese pizza. Diana had opted for a salad, and they were splitting an ice cream.

They probably had too much food and alcohol for eleven people, "but what is college for if not overindulgence?" Anne had reasoned, and Diana had agreed only adding, "especially birthdays!"

Anne marveled at the best friend life had blessed her with. Anne nominally contributed to Diana's rent and paid her share in utilities, but Diana's parents had bankrolled her the apartment. Despite her parents' wealth having been used to spoil her immensely, Diana was nothing but sweet until someone rubbed her the wrong way. She'd become Anne's fiercest protector, as Anne had become hers.

The other Avonlea kids, having maintained a tight community since coming to Toronto, were all still good friends, but Diana was special to Anne.

And, as much as Anne denied it, so was Gilbert.

It hadn't really started out that way. Anne had been annoyed that the only student teachers were constantly comparing her to was Gilbert, but after finding out that he was her neighbor, he'd more or less taken Anne under his wing, giving her tips and tricks for which teachers she should try to get for which core subjects.

It had led to some misunderstandings, but thankfully, now, they were past that.

* * *

_**six years ago** _

"French kissing's not that bad!" Josie tried to assure the other girls, who looked disgusted at the idea.

"What if they have bad breath or something?" Tillie asked.

"Bet Billy does," Jane jeered with a shudder of revolt.

Anne scrunched her eyes shut and shook her head. "Oh, gross!"

Ruby sighed dreamily. "I bet Gilbert _never_ has bad breath." The other girls laughed. "What? How could such a wonderful boy ever—"

"Pretty easily, actually, if he doesn't brush his teeth," Josie pointed out, sticking her tongue out at Ruby when Ruby stuck hers out at Josie.

"Anne, I task you with finding out if Gilbert owns a toothbrush," Ruby directed.

"He absolutely does," Anne responded immediately.

The other girls stopped and stared.

"We're neighbors! Sometimes I go over to ferry stuff back and forth if Marilla's got a headache!" Anne explained hurriedly.

Diana wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "But you've seen his _bathroom_ …" She quickly sobered as Ruby began to tear up. "Ruby, we're just teasing!"

"Yeah, Ruby, I've only ever peed in that bathroom. It's really not a romantic thing," Anne half-joked.

It worked. Ruby laughed, and harmony was restored.

* * *

_**present** _

Anne's phone buzzed for the tenth time that day. It was Bash. _Happy birthday Miss Anne! We all send our love._ The text was accompanied by a smiling photo of Bash, Mary, and their five-year-old daughter Delphine, fondly called Dellie. Anne couldn't help a grin.

Gilbert's father had passed away during Gilbert's sophomore year of high school. Billy Andrews had made the mistake of telling him that "at least you're good-looking and smart, unlike that other orphan" and had received quite the beatdown for his troubles. When asked, pretty much everyone had said that Billy had just tripped. Up three sets of stairs. How that was possible, they didn't know, but it had happened. The world works in mysterious ways.

In any event, Gilbert's friend Bash LaCroix had soon moved in, along with Bash's wife Mary. He and Gilbert had met on a work experience Gilbert had done the previous summer. Given how close the Blythes had been with the Cuthberts before John's death, they'd quickly developed the same rapport with Bash and Mary, and Marilla had nannied for the first couple years of Dellie's life.

Even though Mary could handle Dellie and a house better now, she and Marilla still spent a good portion of most days together, Marilla doing needlework and Mary doing the accounting for a dry-cleaning business she owned in the town over. Their families had such a comfortable arrangement, and it was hard to be away from that, but Anne was far from alone here, so at least there was that.

* * *

**_four and a half years ago_ **

"So… Toronto." Anne sat on Gilbert's bed as he packed, not really being of any help.

Gilbert laughed. "You say that like it's some mysterious ancient city on the other side of the world, Anne. It's not even on the other side of Canada!"

"Well, no, but it'll be weird not having you around," Anne pointed out.

Gilbert tapped his pocket where his phone was. "You have my number and my email. I'll be busy, but not too busy for you."

"Good, because I don't think I'll survive calculus otherwise," Anne moaned.

Gilbert motioned her over to help push the lid of a trunk down. "You know Josie's good at math too, right?"

Anne sighed. "Josie Pye and I have a complicated relationship."

"Calling someone's boyfriend out publicly on his toxic bullshit will do that." Gilbert sat down on the trunk. "Don't get me wrong; I still absolutely agree with what you said and how you approached it, but if it were my girlfriend being called out, I wouldn't be happy about it, either."

Anne blinked. "Your… girlfriend?"

Gilbert rolled his eyes. "Hypothetical girlfriend. Come on."

Anne rolled her eyes right back. "Says Avonlea's most eligible young bachelor. You could probably have Billy-sexual Josie if you gave it even a little effort."

"Well, as I am not and will never be keen on Josie, that's not an issue." Gilbert pulled Anne's hands to sit down on the trunk next to him, then stood and heaved a suitcase onto his bed and began to pack that.

Anne pulled her legs up and sat cross-legged, propping her elbows on her knees and her chin on her hands. For whatever reason, it was at that moment that it really hit her. Calls and emails weren't the same as just popping around. They created distance if it wasn't there, and reminded you if it was. She wiped her eyes.

"Hey." Gilbert put his hands on her shoulders. "Two more years, and then you'll be able to make trouble for me to watch in person again." Anne sobbed out a laugh. "Well, it's true! Part of the Anne Shirley-Cuthbert charm. I'd have you no other way, Anne."

Anne laughed more genuinely this time and looked up into Gilbert's eyes. She put a hand over one of his, and just as each of them got ready to say something...

" _Blythe!_ " Bash yelled from the kitchen. "Dellie just said her first word! Get out here!"

Anne pushed Gilbert's hands off her shoulders and practically jumped to her feet. "Better go see what it was. Words are so terribly important."

Gilbert heaved the heaviest sigh of the day and made to follow. "That, they are."

* * *

_**present** _

"Ooh, that one." Diana nodded at the dark green sweater Anne held in front of herself. It had a green gingham trim at the sleeves and neck that was particularly becoming.

"It amazes me that I can wear as much green as I do and not constantly remind people of Christmas," Anne murmured to her reflection.

Diana cackled. "Dye your hair fire-engine red if that's what you're going for."

Anne grimaced. "Noooooo thank you." She pulled on the sweater, a pair of deep brown fleece-lined leggings, and a thick pair of fuzzy socks that served as slippers. If she couldn't spend her night getting lost in a good book (not that having friends over was a poor substitute), she'd still spend it dressed like it.

Diana was dressed a little more typically for a party, but she'd started dressing down more (and Anne had started dressing up just a bit more) since they'd started living together. Diana had taught Anne how to do makeup, and Anne had taught Diana the numerous ways she'd figured to braid hair while being bounced from home to home as a child with sometimes not a whole lot to do. Together, they'd both worked out how to curl their hair and style it in more elegant ways.

Tonight, Anne had decided to wear hers in a loose braid, and Diana in a half-up-half-down style that was sturdier than it looked.

" _Très jolie,_ " Diana said by way of approval.

"Ah, so kissing isn't the only French thing you've learned from Jerry!" Anne joked.

Diana swatted her on the shoulder. "Could you... not mention him tonight? Things are still… new, and I don't know if…"

"Don't worry, Di." Anne wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Just, take it slow for a while, okay? Don't want you worrying for three weeks until you get your period again."

Diana nodded. "I know. I'm never making that mistake again."

"Yeah, well, Jerry'd better own his part in that, too." There was an undercurrent of a threat in Anne's voice.

"He does," Diana assured her. "And I'm on the pill now, so… yeah." She shook her head. "Ugh. I need something to do. I'm gonna go get the food set out. You, birthday girl, are going to sit around and do nothing and leave it all to me."

Anne saluted and flopped onto the couch, flipping through her phone and responding to birthday texts as she waited.

* * *

_**two years ago** _

A biological research science student and an education/journalism student hardly seemed like they would have anything in common, and yet, this was Anne and Gilbert, so of course, once Anne had gotten to U of T, Gilbert had offered to show her all the best study nooks. Naturally, they'd both gravitated toward the comfiest one with the most light. Gilbert had a habit of sprawling out across two chairs, and Anne usually wound up cross-legged on the floor or in her chair with papers spread all around her.

No matter how she tried to perch, Anne was finding it hard to concentrate today. She was wondering if she should break Moody's confidence, or if she should just have him talk with Gilbert instead. There would be nothing he could do about it either way, but at least he wouldn't be panicking for the rest of the quarter over inflated anxieties.

"Any particular reason you keep glancing up at me every ten seconds?" Gilbert asked, sounding curious, but amused.

Anne bit her lip. "I… if a friend comes to me for… advice, is it okay if I refer them to you?"

Gilbert set his book down and almost frowned. Clearly, he hadn't been expecting this. "I mean, sure. Is there something I should know?"

"It's… delicate," Anne hedged.

As careful as Anne was trying to be, Gilbert went in straight for the kill, as usual. "Who got pregnant?"

"Jesus Christ, Gilbert!"Anne whisper-yelled.

"Only one of those is my name, and unfortunately for me, it's the latter one,"he responded glibly.

"You know, if you just joined the folk band Moody's always going on about putting together, it'd seem like it's a wonderfully subversive modern choice!" Anne babbled.  
Gilbert turned the page. "Stop avoiding the subject, Anne. Now, who needs to be pointed towards a family planning clinic?"

Haltingly, Anne compromised, "I… I'll let them decide if they want to come to you. Touchy subject, you know?"

Gilbert looked up, nodded, and went back to his reading. "Fair enough, but please, encourage them to. This shouldn't be a thing these days."

Anne nodded. "I will."

Gilbert sighed. "You're all jittery and neither of us is gonna be able to focus. Come on. Let's grab some coffee and come back in a bit." He gathered his things.

Embarrassed, but feeling better nonetheless, Anne followed suit.

* * *

_**present** _

Anne's phone buzzed. It was Ruby.

_anything you need us to bring? moody and i are at target if you want snacks or sth_

Anne smiled. _No, thanks. Your lovely selves will be enough._

Ruby sent back three _:)_ and a birthday cake emoji, followed by _can't wait!_ and a heart.

They were the cutest couple, and no doubt Ruby was shopping for a gift. Ruby wasn't the most personal gift giver, but she did have excellent taste in scarves, and so Anne had asked Moody to steer her in that direction. She'd pretend to be surprised, as long as Moody hadn't already told Ruby that Anne had more or less directed him. At least she'd be genuinely grateful.

She wondered when Moody was going to propose. They'd been together for a couple years, now, and they'd genuinely meshed and fallen in that Disney kind of love: it was light and bubbly, but also deep and true and abiding. Ruby hadn't given Gilbert an up-down checkout in years, and Anne wasn't sure Moody knew there were girls other than Ruby. (Of course he knew intellectually, but as far as having eyes was concerned, there was only Ruby.)

"Hey Anne, help me move stuff around!" Diana called.

Anne stood and stretched. "Coming!"

* * *

**_six months ago_ **

Anne sucked in a deep breath, the box in her hands weighing heavily, both figuratively and literally.

It was some huge compilation of medical research history. She'd noticed Gilbert eyeing it at the bookstore the other day as they'd been buying books, and as luck would have it, Anne had saved enough from her summer job to pay for it. She'd gone back later to get it.

Was it too much? She didn't know. She hadn't spent much on him in past years, and that hadn't seemed right, but this hadn't really seemed right, either. It was the personal nature of the gifts that set her on edge, because they were always what he wanted, and he never failed to let her know with that smile that lit up his entire face and that warm stare with those lovely eyes of his that always made everything both worse and better at the same time.

Maybe she should just ding-dong-ditch and claim she was just dropping by while out on errands.

No—he'd see right through that, and anyway, he'd already buzzed her up; he'd be wanting to talk with her for at least five minutes.

Anne got out of the elevator and walked down the hall to Gilbert's apartment. Just as she raised her hand to knock, Gilbert opened the door. "When you said you had my birthday gift, I didn't imagine it'd be a fist to the face." He laughed and beckoned Anne in.

Anne tittered nervously. "I mean, I'm sure I'll get around to it one of these days. In the meantime—" she hefted the package at Gilbert. "—Happy birthday, Gil."

Gilbert weighed it in his hands and looked at the size and shape before ripping off the newspaper (because what else would Anne use to wrap it?). "Oh God, Anne… wow. Um, you didn't have to, you know?"

In a moment of particularly stunning bravery, Anne said, "Well, I… wanted to."

Gilbert looked like he had about ten different but equally warm ways he wanted to respond to that, when a melodic, British-accented female voice called from just outside, "Gilbert? Why is your door open?"

Gilbert cleared his throat as a striking young woman stepped in. She was blond and blue-eyed (a lighter and slightly softer blue than Anne's own, Anne noted) and about Gilbert's height.

"Ah, Winnie! You're here!" Gilbert went up and gave her a peck. "Winnie, this is Anne—we grew up together. Anne, this is Winnie, we, um, just made it official."

"What a turn of phrase." Winnie rolled her eyes. She smiled politely but warmly at Anne. "Delighted."

Anne took it and shook, forcing her own smile and hoping it didn't look like it. "Nice to meet you." She looked at Gilbert. "I, um, guess I'd better leave you to your evening. Happy birthday again. And, um, nice to meet you." She tried to walk at a normal pace until she rounded the corner to the elevator before deciding to take the steps.

She'd never regret giving Gilbert the gift, but that was the only thing about tonight that she wouldn't regret.

* * *

_**present** _

"So…" Diana looked around, even though there was nobody in their apartment.

"Oh no, Diana, I know that tone. We are not talking about it." Anne carefully applied a new coat of mascara.

"Him. You know this is about Gilbert. Or rather, your feelings for him." Diana sighed. "Look, I love you like a sister, Anne. You have had… _something_ with him for nearly five years, and sure, I get that maybe in high school, it would have looked weird if you dated, especially after he went off to college, but come on—you both recognized it before he left and even though you were apart for two years, it didn't go away. What does that tell you?"

 _That email and texting provide an incredibly effective vehicle for unspoken feelings to continue?_ Anne wanted to reply. "He just got broken up with, Di. It's—"

" _Not a good time,_ " Diana finished with Anne. "Yeah, I've heard that enough to last me about ten lifetimes. It doesn't have to be tonight. But would you please, for the sake of the rest of us, figure it out and just…"

"Just bang already?" supplied Anne.

Diana rolled her eyes. "Nobody says 'bang' unironically anymore, Anne. And I was more going for 'officially start this relationship that we all know is just waiting to happen, because if sex would've scratched that itch, you'd have gotten it out of the way by now', but there's no good succinct word for that."

Well, Diana had her there. Anne let out a long exhale. "Fine, I'll deal with it. Just not tonight."

* * *

**_two weeks ago_ **

"Gilbert!" Anne beckoned him into the apartment. Diana was out on a date. "What's going on? Is everything alright? Bash? Mary? Dellie?"

"They're fine." Gilbert sat heavily at the kitchen table.

Anne hovered. "Coffee? Alcohol? Both?"

"Neither," was the short, flat response.

"Tea, it is, then." Anne put the kettle on before sitting down next to Gilbert. She fidgeted with her hands in her lap for a moment before reaching for Gilbert's hand, and then hesitating, before putting it back in her lap. After another several moments' silence, she tentatively asked, "...Winifred?"

Gilbert nodded slowly. "She… she broke up with me three nights ago."

Anne was stricken. "Oh, Gilbert, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. I deserved it." Gilbert took off his hat and half-tossed it onto the table, scattering melted snowflakes as he did so.

Anne stood as the water boiled. "I'm sure you didn't. You wouldn't…" She poured hot water into two mugs and plopped two tea bags in, then dumped far too much milk in one and just a splash in the other.

Gilbert shook his head as Anne sat back down with the mugs and a saucer. "We just… weren't right for each other. I guess I knew it all along, but I wanted to hope that maybe…" He shook his head again.

"You weren't right for each other? Who… who could be more right?" Anne forced the words out.

Gilbert fixed her with a stare. It wasn't rude, or angry, but it was pointed. And miserable. And yet, somehow, hopeful.

Anne busied herself wish fishing her teabag out of her mostly-milk-filled mug, then grabbing Gilbert's, only for the string to slip from the bag. "Oh…" She quickly dipped her fingers in to grab it, wincing as the still steaming water scalded her fingertips. "Ow!" she hissed, dropping the teabag on the saucer before waving her hand for a moment.

"Let me see." Gilbert grabbed Anne's hand.

"It's just a little hot water; I've done this dozens of times!" protested Anne.

Now, Gilbert's stare was annoyed. "You've burned yourself _dozens_ of times?" He twisted Anne's hand to examine it under the light.

"Gilbert, you are training to be a medical researcher, not a physician. My hand is _fine_ , just please…" Despite her words, Anne hadn't tried very hard to pull her hand back.

"There's really very little difference in training, and anyway, I have seen more than my fair share of burns in labs; I know how to treat them," Gilbert told her.

"And this is not that bad, I guarantee you." Anne sighed. "Do you just need something you can fix right now?" Her fingers curled around Gilbert's hand despite her tone.

A slight, sad smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "You know me far too well." He wrapped his free hand around Anne's.

"It'll get better," Anne said quietly. "I'm sorry that… that this happened, and I know the pain you must be feeling right now, but you'll find that special someone when you're open to it."

"Hopefully she's open to it, too," Gilbert murmured.

Anne blinked. Gilbert was giving her that look that she'd seen far too many times now. It felt like he could see straight into her soul, and the thought that he might was comfortingly unnerving and unnervingly comforting. He moved the chair closer to Anne's and rotated it so he was more directly facing her. If he leaned in, his side would only brush the table.

The door to the apartment opened. "I'm home, Anne!" sang Diana. "Are these Gilbert's shoes? Is Gilbert here?"

Gilbert and Anne immediately dropped hands. "Hey Diana," Gilbert called as Anne got up and started making another cup of tea for her roommate.

"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Diana asked as she waltzed into the kitchen. "Aren't you usually studying on Monday nights?" She took one look at Gilbert's face. "Oh no. Ohhhhhh no. That is the face of heartbreak if ever I've seen it. What's going on? Do I need to have a talk with Winnie? You know I never liked her—"

"It's fine, Diana." Gilbert sighed. "It was my fault."

Diana scoffed. "Unlikely!" She took the mug of tea Anne handed her. "I'm really sorry, Gilbert. Well, at least she won't be offended that she wasn't invited to Anne's birthday party—what? I just wanted to keep it to Avonlea kids!" she explained as both Anne and Gilbert gave her surprised looks. "But you'll come, right Gilbert?"

Gilbert's eyes flickered to Anne before he smiled back at Diana. "I wouldn't miss it."

* * *

_**present** _

"Alright, alright! Time for a round of 'who knows the birthday girl?'!" cried Jane.

Anne groaned. "No, not this again. I wear everything on my sleeve, so I always wind up smashed 5 questions in! Can I at least drink only once per question this year?" She pulled the hair tie from the end of her braid and shook her hair out. It was time to just let it be.

"Each of us has to drink if we're wrong, though!" Josie pointed out.

"Well, maybe if you knew her better..." Diana murmured with a smirk, returning Josie's gesture of sticking out her tongue. "The math actually checks out better this way. Once per round, it is!"

Everyone gathered in a circle. "Diana, you start," Moody told her.

"Okay... What's Anne's favorite food?"

Everyone typed the answer on their phones, carefully shielding them. Anne typed hers.

_Curry over rice noodles_

"And 3... 2... 1... show!" Diana ordered.

Most of them had something about curry written down, which was deemed close enough. Anne, one of the Pauls, and Tillie drank.

Tillie was up next, asking what Anne's worst grade on a paper was. (An F, when she'd gone off topic and ranted for five pages about gender inequality when she was supposed to be critiquing poetry. Anne maintained she should have been given an A. Their professor maintained that the integrity of his grading system, specifically that the prompt be adhered to, was more important. In the end, Anne had re-written the paper, gotten a C for handing it in late but otherwise well-written, and had then proceeded to roast the professor in the college newspaper in an article that surprisingly few people actually disagreed with.)

Then Charlie asked when Anne's preferred sleep and wake up times were. (11:30 and 9:30, though a few close friends and family could get her up by 8:30 with the promise of coffee.)

Ruby asked for Anne's favorite book (Jane Eyre), Jane for Anne's favorite movie (any version of _Pride & Prejudice_), Moody for Anne's favorite season (all of them), Gilbert for Anne's favorite blanket (one Marilla had quilted as a going away present for college), one Paul for Anne's coffee order (splash of cream and two sugars), and the other for her tea order (Earl grey with more milk than tea). Finally, it was Josie's turn.

"Everyone is going to write down something they think is a secret between only Anne and them. Anne will read each one to herself. If they're right, she drinks. If they misremember the secret, or someone else knows, the guesser drinks."

Anne grinned, slightly tipsy. "You're all going to lose. I have no secrets."

The group piled their phones in front of Anne, who pulled Ruby's off the top. "Ruby, come on, _everyone_ knows I set off that fire alarm when I burned that grilled cheese while complaining about Billy Andrews! Drink," she commanded as everyone laughed.

Jane's was next. "Nope; all the girls know this one. The boys don't need to," Anne said of the day she'd gotten her first period.

Moody's was next. Anne read it twice, gaped at Moody, and drank. Charlie let out a low whistle. "Moody, what is it?!" Ruby hissed. Moody looked guiltily at Anne, who nodded and said, "This one's more Moody's secret. He can choose when and whom to tell."

Tillie's was that Anne did not actually like tea so much as milk vaguely flavored like tea. A vote of the partygoers determined that to be an open secret even if Anne had never directly said it to anyone else.

Josie's was that Anne had harbored a crush on Roy Gardner, which Anne truthfully denied. Diana's got Anne to drink. Neither Paul succeeded, both having written down that Anne had kneed Charlie the first time he'd come onto her, which Anne pointed out rather necessarily meant that Charlie knew it, too. Charlie's was that Anne had harbored a crush on him, which sent Anne into hysterical fits of laughter, forcing Charlie to read it aloud and sending most of the rest of the girls into giggles, too.

Finally, she picked up Gilbert's phone. _Drink if you don't want to talk. Make up a lie and meet me outside if you do._

Anne downed the half cup she had left to shocked stares. "Someone put the music back on," she mumbled.

Moody put on a remix of some song he'd been into lately. It was upbeat enough that almost everyone started dancing, or at least got up to get food. After a moment, Anne slipped out onto the balcony.

"Thought you didn't want to talk," Gilbert said mockingly, not yet turning to look at Anne.

"I... I don't know what I want." Anne sighed and sat down with her back to the half-wall of the balcony. "Ugh, no. I do. I want you. I want to stop telling myself that you're just some really amazing friend I don't deserve, but that means you become a partner I'll never deserve."

"Don't deserve?" Gilbert slid down next to her. "Anne, what the hell gave you the—the completely idiotic idea that you don't deserve me?!"

"I just... You're so incredible. You're gonna be some amazing research scientist who'll cure diseases that don't yet exist. You'll win a damn Nobel Prize and every other top-tier award that exists. Meanwhile, I'll be making trouble, like I always have, and trying to get people to listen to me and... and struggling. I won't be able to contribute equally like some… pharmaceutical lawyer. Not like..." Anne choked.

"Winifred..." Gilbert sighed and put his head in his hands. "Do you want to know what she said to me when we broke up? 'Unless the next girl is Anne, don't treat her like she is.' I fucked it up. I tried to settle, and all it did was break three hearts. Four, if you count Bash's, since he was convinced this mystery girl I was dating was actually you." He laughed humorlessly. "You say you won't be contributing, but have you seen how much your articles win people over? Have you seen how they look at you? Sure, you make trouble for a few, but when you lead, people follow, because they see their struggles in you. And yet—and I have no clue how—you refuse to believe you're worthy of the affection of those closest to you. You couldn't really care less about people who aren't, and that helps you pretend the same about people you do more convincingly. And I get why, at least, as much as I can get it without experiencing it, but it's beyond frustrating because it means you refuse to give me a chance to prove you wrong."

Anne was silent for nearly two minutes. Finally, she spoke. "Prove me wrong. Please." She sighed. "Better yet, let _me_ prove me wrong. Let me make up for years of letting my trust issues get in the way of—let's be honest—the best damn power couple PEI has ever produced." She grabbed Gilbert's hands and turned as best she could to look him in the eye. "I really am sorry... I want to make up for ignoring your feelings at best and hurting them at worst. I want to go on dates and walk together between classes and be _that annoying couple_ and—" Anne was cut off as Gilbert put a hand on her cheek and quickly leaned in to kiss her.

Anne had thought a lot (much as she'd tried not to) about what kissing Gilbert would be like. It had evolved over the years with her understanding of kissing, but she'd expected that he was the kind of person who'd take it slow but not necessarily gentle at first. Romantic in that Hollywood way.

She'd been right, more or less. When Anne didn't pull back after a light kiss, he very quickly deepened it. It felt like standing in bright sunshine in crisp new snow: warm and exciting and fresh and full of promise. And when Anne allowed her mouth to open just a little, it was like New Year's fireworks.

Gilbert pulled back a moment later. "Don't get me wrong," he breathed, "I love your way with words, but this has been needing to happen for about the last four years, so..."

"Uh-huh. Less talking; more making out. Yep. Got it. I'm on board." Anne swiveled to get in a better position before leaning in again. Gilbert, ever direct, pulled her into his lap, laughing against Anne's mouth when she squeaked in surprise.

"Hey, guys, d'you wanna... _Whoa_ _kay_ _-_ _nope-_ _nevermind_!" Diana shut the balcony door as quickly as she'd opened it.

There was a brief commotion, then Josie, Ruby, and Moody all stifled shrieks as they peeked through the blinds. "Just what is— _ohmygodnoway_!" Jane yelped as she joined them. Charlie wolf-whistled, and the Pauls, nodding in agreement at each other, displayed nine fingers each as if to offer a score.

"Jeez, guys, give them some privacy!" Diana started hauling them away from the window, but not before Josie could be heard retorting, "It's not like they actually have any privacy anyway, Di; your balcony wall is glass!"

After one more long kiss, they pulled apart for a moment.

"God, I wish I was sober; drinking the rest of my glass was a huge mistake now that it's actually hitting me." Anne lamented. When Gilbert tilted his head quizzically, Anne clarified, "Sober me is a much better kisser."

Gilbert shrugged. "Yeah, well, mostly-sober me is perfectly satisfied at the moment as long as you don't start, I dunno, licking my face or whatever."

Anne let out a snorting laugh, which only made her laugh harder. "Your face? Ew. I think I can avoid temptation on that one."

"'Ew'? That's what you say about my face?" Gilbert pretended to be wounded as Anne slumped against him in now uncontrollable laughter. Gilbert's arms slid around her and held her close, and he buried his face in her hair. "You really think we're 'the best damn power couple PEI has ever produced'?"

"You think we're not?" Anne shot back playfully.

The wind picked up for a moment, and Anne reflexively curled up and buried her head against Gilbert's shoulder.

"I _think_ we should go back inside." Gilbert got to his feet and pulled Anne up, catching her as one of her socks slid on the metal strip under the glass panel of the balcony wall. After Anne was solidly on her feet, Gilbert grabbed her hand, lacing his fingers tightly with hers.

Out of the corner of her mouth, Anne murmured, "Prepare to be swarmed."

"Let 'em. Consider it practice. Best damn power couple PEI has ever produced? We're going to take this world by storm, Anne Shirley-Cuthbert." He smiled down at her.

Anne's answering smile was radiant. "And Gilbert Blythe, I look forward to having you right by my side as we do." She stood on her toes to give him a quick kiss before taking a deep breath and opening the door.

**Author's Note:**

> Moody's secret (as alluded to earlier): he'd fumbled a condom and thought he'd gotten Ruby pregnant and didn't know what to do. Diana's was her liaison with Jerry.
> 
> I'll be honest, this was more fun than I thought, and I'm tempted to turn it into a short series. Maybe a duology. Not sure yet.


End file.
